Open mike 07/06/2024

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, June 7th, 2024 - 68 comments
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68 comments on “Open mike 07/06/2024 ”

  1. SPC 1
    7 June 2024 at 6:54 am

    85,000 people are not getting to see a specialist after being referred by a GP.

    Presumably there are others – people who go to hospital without seeing a GP (do not have one).

    National is proposing funding of more scans of people prior to seeing a specialist (without mentioning if they have the technicians in hospitals to do this). *

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/518850/at-least-85-000-people-each-year-turned-away-from-seeing-specialists-some-dying-as-result

    This*

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/517966/radiology-services-faces-concerning-challenges-report

    Reply
  2. Bearded Git 2
    7 June 2024 at 7:07 am

    From the Herald today. Tax avoidance is alive and well.

    "A tax minimisation trick has ironically seen the Government’s tax take unexpectedly spike. Companies owned by trusts appear to have flushed out excess retained earnings ahead of the trustee tax rate rising from 33 to 39 per cent on April 1, 2024 (for trusts that earn more than $10,000 a year). The value of companies’ dividend payments more than doubled, from $23.6 billion to $49.4b, in the tax year to March 31, 2024, according to figures Inland Revenue gave the Herald.

    The spike in dividend payments that occurred just before the trustee rate change took effect was such that it contributed towards the Government collecting $1.7b (1.7 per cent) more tax in the 10 months to April 30 than the Treasury expected"

    Interesting that the COC hasn’t reversed Labour’s move to tax trusts at 39% (except for smaller trusts). The politics of this would not have looked good.

    Reply
    • SPC 2.1
      7 June 2024 at 8:01 am

      The GR government got the same result when they increased the top rate of tax to 39 cents, so they planned to generate this windfall by placing the rate on trusts to 39 cents this year. It was a deliberate move to add to the money available for new spending.

      Interesting that the COC hasn’t reversed Labour’s move to tax trusts at 39% (except for smaller trusts). The politics of this would not have looked good.

      They knew they needed the money because their numbers were dubious.

      Reply
    • Nic the NZer 2.2
      7 June 2024 at 8:10 am

      Something also worth highlighting about this, it represents a budget forecast error in the order of $1.7 billion (over 12 months). Question is, how many of the $million cuts made and being made became irrelevant to the state of the government books by this forecast error (while often seriously hurting public service provision, institution and staff)?

      The same question arises every time an un-forecast 'improvement' in the budget position is reported, where the question regarding that improvement figure should be just how much extra public spending could have been done with the same expected impacts on the economy as forecast. The only difference is in this case the cause of a big part of the forecast error appears to be understood.

      Reply
      • SPC 2.2.1
        7 June 2024 at 8:31 am

        Some of the $1.7B came from higher interest income from banks and PIE (28% max).

        The variation in dividends income comes from companies owned by trusts.

        This shows the dividend income figure variations that can occur from tax consideration.

        https://archive.li/YvYv1

        The budget impact is minimal because it is not regular revenue.

        It can be used for one off funding (school building). Funding of a first year of a new spending allocation (cancer drugs). Or maintaining existing programmes – such as food in schools 2024-2027.

        Reply
        • Nic the NZer 2.2.1.1
          7 June 2024 at 9:29 am

          Not sure what point your making. Trying to fine tune a forecast figure which you have only a very fuzzy idea of is fundamentally foolish, and hurting so many people in the process makes that malicious.

          Reply
          • SPC 2.2.1.1.1
            7 June 2024 at 10:08 am

            Budgets are based on knowns, not unknowns.

            Revenue of 101.7B instead of $100B has more of an impact on future budget plans where it is not a one off increase.

            Regardless of ones view on the nature of government organisation – as to funding means or level of funding, and its ultility to people, it has to do budgets.

            This is so, even though government subservience to a yearly budget balance has moved on – to one of management across the economic cycle, and even then within the context of borrowing for future development – infrastructure and either having contingency allocation or low debt for a rainy day.

            The issue here is really one of maintaining government activity across the economic cycle because political parties have a different perspective on a sustainable baseline role and level to public service delivery.

            Reply
            • Nic the NZer 2.2.1.1.1.1
              7 June 2024 at 10:59 am

              "Budgets are based on knowns, not unknowns."

              I take this to mean you can only forecast based on things you know, which seems rather beside the point. There are lots of things in the budget which are estimates because you don't know them. In this case were talking about something which treasury could have apparently estimated much better, but simply forgot to. Estimates are going to be wrong to some degree of course. The reason that should be contentious is the scale of the things you can't estimate well dwarfs the scale of the things which are being focused on.

              "The budget impact is minimal because it is not regular revenue."

              Don't mistake something which might be legitimately hard to estimate for being unimportant. For specific example, minimal in this context is apparently $1.7 billion over 12 months. The recent Kainga Ora review forecast that the operating balance deficit would grow from $520 million to $700 million annually. This is substantially smaller than that minimal budget error. Kainga Ora is also one of the larger departments in the budget.

              Reply
    • PsyclingLeft.Always 2.3
      7 June 2024 at 8:38 am

      Priorities of course.

      https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/09/17/to-target-benefit-frauds-or-tax-evaders-act-leader-questioned/

      And yep we can see, and know, why..

      Newsable: Billions likely lost to tax evasion, as white collar crime investigators go underfunded

      https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/300878382/newsable-billions-likely-lost-to-tax-evasion-as-white-collar-crime-investigators-go-underfunded

      And under NActFirst….thats even less likely to change.

      Reply
    • Incognito 2.4
      7 June 2024 at 8:46 am

      Link, please.

      Reply
    • Descendant Of Smith 2.6
      7 June 2024 at 9:29 am

      Yeah I remember seeing some advice from financial advisors to do this before the tax rate went up. Just shows how much the system is designed for those who have the greatest means to pay tax.

      I'm still not sure what benefit NZ gets from all the tax haven trusts we have either. Does it just make it look like the country is flush with money even though it doesn't belong to us? Does it just enable banks to lend more money because they have these massive amounts sitting in these foreign owned trusts?

      Reply
  3. SPC 3
    7 June 2024 at 9:17 am

    From the school of common sense.

    Pro rata for pay occurs now. This is based on hours worked (the amount paid even if working, or annual leave or sick leave is taken).

    Pro rata of sick leave is based on days worked.

    If it is 5 days a week part-time or full-time – then that is 10 days a year sick leave.

    If it is 4 days part-time or full-time – that is 8 days sick leave.

    If it 3 days part-time or full-time – that is 6 days sick leave.

    If it is 2 days part-time or full-time – then it is 4 days.

    If it is 1 day part-time or full-time – then it is 2 days.

    https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/06/07/how-the-proposed-sick-leave-changes-could-impact-you/

    Reply
    • Mike the Lefty 3.1
      7 June 2024 at 9:49 am

      You might think it is all common sense.

      I am suspicious of the motives of a party that has, in the past, advocated the reduction of both annual and sick leave for waged workers, plus abolition of penal rates for working on public holidays and was a prime advocate of what we call now "zero hours contracts".

      Leopards do not change their spots.

      Reply
    • AB 3.2
      7 June 2024 at 11:14 am

      Yes, so are the libertarian freaks from ACT trying to pull a trick here?

      Let's assume for simplicity that a full-time working year (minus weekends, public holidays and annual leave) is 40 weeks (200 days) – it's a bit longer in reality, but this keeps the arithmetic simpler.

      If I currently work 5 days a week and 8 hours a day – my working year would be 200 days and 1600 hours. I currently get 10 full-time days (80 hours) of sick-leave – that's one working day in 20 and one hour in 20.

      If I currently work 4 days a week and 4 hours a day – my working year would be 160 (part-time days) and 640 hours. I currently get 8 part-time 4-hour days (32 hours) of sick leave – that's also one working day in 20 and one hour in 20.

      However, what happens if we slyly convert those 640 annual hours of our part-time worker into full time days? 640 hours is only 80 full-time days – only 40% of the 200 days worked annually by the full-time worker. Therefore, if we pro-rate on this basis, the part-time worker will get 40% of the 10 days allowed to the full-time worker, i.e. 4 days. So now our part-time worker gets only 4 part-time 4-hour days (16 hours) of sick leave – that's now become only one working day in 40 and one hour in 40, whereas currently both of these ratios are 1 in 20.

      Note that the total effect is that our part-time worker still has to turn up on 160 days, but their sick leave allowance now treats them as if they had to turn up on only 80. It blurs the distinction between the number of working days (the days on which I must turn up to work) and the total days worked in a year (measured in full-time days)

      It's not clear that this is the trick they're pulling. But it looks like it to me.

      Reply
      • SPC 3.2.1
        7 June 2024 at 11:36 am

        It sure does look like it.

        They are using examples of a person who has two (part-time) jobs and who then claims 20 days sick leave.

        This to portray it as a problem to be solved by pro rata based on hours worked. Despite the obvious injustice to those who work part-time 5 days a week.

        They can solve that problem by having another category for those who have multiple jobs.

        First category – those who meet the criteria for 10 days sick leave (those who work 5 days a week in both those jobs). Allocate the 10 days across the jobs they have. 5 days each.

        Second category – work 2 days in 2 jobs – then get 8 days sick leave – 4 for each one etc.

        It is not hard, if one is trying to be fair.

        Reply
      • SPC 3.3.1
        7 June 2024 at 6:04 pm

        Sure the current regime is based on a qualifying criteria and with no pro rata at all.

        If one does have pro rata, a days based one is fairer than one based on hours.

        Reply
  4. SPC 4
    7 June 2024 at 9:43 am

    Auckland is looking at roading de-congestion options.

    Time of use is no more efficient than commuter car lanes (reserved for cars with multiple people). Though charges would encourage commuter car arrangements (shared cost).

    They are fairest when there is spare PT capacity (an alternative).

    They are most unfair on those whose work requires constant travel by car to where they work (home care workers) – so there needs to be exemptions (or rebates).

    Reply
  5. adam 5
    7 June 2024 at 10:41 am

    Wow some journalist out their must feel like they were utterly conned today.

    So the pile on against Te Pāti Māori was led by Destiny Church, I mean if you saw the video about them talking about the money, you could have guessed.

    I'm going to go one more than Martyn over at the daily blog – the double standard and racist whistle blowing is the real story here.

    https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2024/06/07/the-double-standard-crucifixion-of-maori-party/

    The fact our so called independent media can go all feral at Te Pāti Māori and yet let the governments open corruption slide, Is the story. If the so called independent media whinge again about media trust, they might just wanna stop for a second.

    This issue should have been left to be investigated, then we should have been informed of the outcome.

    Not played out as more dirty politics, and a pile on from a collection of Mammon devotees.

    Te Pāti MāoriPāti Māori

    Reply
  6. Visubversa 6
    7 June 2024 at 11:36 am

    The main question will be – did they photocopy any part of the Census to use for making political contacts?

    Having been a Census collector in the past and signed the relevant security documents, I know that is the legal point here.

    Nobody cares that they gave out ice creams or food vouchers to get people to complete the Census. There is nothing unlawful in that. However, if any part of the Census was copied – and utilised for another purpose – that is what is required to be addressed.

    Reply
    • weka 6.1
      7 June 2024 at 11:46 am

      This.

      And whether there was voter influencing. I haven't seen a clear timeline yet on that.

      Reply
      • Michael Scott 6.1.1
        7 June 2024 at 12:54 pm

        The Marae agree they gave out free stuff to voters on voting day which seems dodgy as their former chief executive was standing in the contest.

        Does anyone know how to get the vote numbers for the Manurewa Marae booth and compare how many the Te Paati Maori candidate got compared with the surrounding booths?

        Reply
        • Grey Area 6.1.1.1
          7 June 2024 at 1:29 pm

          It's really easy. Go to the electoral commission website, find election 2023 results, select the electorate and you download a CSV format file of voting results for candidate and party votes for each polling place in the electorate. Can't recall if it separates for general and Maori roll but I didn't find it difficult when I did some local research.

          Reply
          • Craig H 6.1.1.1.1
            8 June 2024 at 5:31 pm

            It effectively does by having separate results by general and Maori electorate since those are separate by roll.

            Reply
        • weka 6.1.1.2
          7 June 2024 at 1:39 pm

          I've removed your email address from the URL field, please don't put it in there as it is public.

          Reply
          • Michael Scott 6.1.1.3.1
            7 June 2024 at 2:01 pm

            Thanks Joe90 I tried to open the CSV file but can't.

            On reflection even if the Maori Party candidate did get a higher percentage of votes at The Marae booth it might not be treating. Simply that the Marae members had a relationship with the candidate because she was previously in charge of the Marae.

            I don't think the Electoral Commission will let this happen again.

            It is interesting how quiet the Maori Party is on all this.

            Reply
            • joe90 6.1.1.3.1.1
              7 June 2024 at 2:34 pm

              Use the html link.

              Reply
            • weka 6.1.1.3.1.2
              7 June 2024 at 2:52 pm

              The Independent Electoral Review recommended repealing the treating section of the legislation,

              Treating

              1. 18.15 The Electoral Commission has previously raised specific concerns with the offence of “treating”. Treating is when someone provides food, drink or entertainment before, during, or after an election for the purpose of “corruptly” influencing aperson to vote or refrain from voting. It is also an offence to corruptly accept food, drink or entertainment under these conditions. There is an exception for “the provision of a light supper after any election meeting”.10
              2. 18.16 The offence of treating creates many problems and confusion in practice.11 It is unclear how much food, drink and entertainment can be offered or accepted and under what circumstances. This lack of clarity might mean that such great care is taken not to treat voters that it prevents behaviour that is acceptable, such as providing ordinary hospitality. In particular, the current offence fails to acknowledge manaakitanga, where hospitality shows connection, kindness and respect in Māori culture. Hospitality is also important in many other cultures.
              3. 18.17 The offence of treating also requires a corrupt intent, which can be difficult to prove. In its submission to our first consultation, the Electoral Commission indicated its view that there would need to be an understanding or contract in place that voters would vote in a certain way to provide sufficient evidence that the offence of treating had been committed. Providing voters with food, drink and entertainment without the necessary corrupt bargain is legal, adding further confusion about what is allowed.

              https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/webarchive/20240119114109/https://electoralreview.govt.nz/publications/

              Reply
              • AB …
                7 June 2024 at 3:33 pm

                Not altogether surprising that providing low-level hospitality and the collective sharing of food by predominantly poorer cultural minorities is outlawed as 'treating' – while individual donations of very large sums of money by wealthy individuals in the hope of influencing policy is all fine, provided it's declared. In the USA, the latter even attains the laudable and noble heights of 'free speech'.

                Reply
                • weka …
                  7 June 2024 at 5:37 pm

                  pretty much.

                  I can't see the problem. The only things that stood out for me when I read the original piece the other day were the photocopying of records, and whether they were putting TPM fliers in packs at the wrong time/process. I'm also unclear on the timing of the candidate and when she stepped down as CEO. Hoping someone does a timeline.

                  Reply
                • joe90 …
                  7 June 2024 at 5:50 pm

                  providing low-level hospitality

                  We don't know how lucky we are.

                  .

                  A federal judge on Friday narrowed a section of Georgia election law that banned the practice of handing out food and water to voters waiting in line to cast ballots, as well as halted enforcement of a requirement that voters put their birth dates on the outer envelope of their ballots.

                  […]

                  His ruling on so-called line-warming allowed the ban to still be enforced in what he dubbed the “buffer zone” around a polling place, within 150 feet of the building where ballots are being cast. But he paused enforcement of the ban in the “supplemental zone,” or additional areas that are within 25 feet of a voter standing in line.

                  https://edition.cnn.com/2023/08/18/politics/georgia-election-law-ban-food-water-voters-line/index.html

                  https://www.dictionary.com/e/politics/line-warming/

                  Reply
              • SPC …
                7 June 2024 at 4:16 pm

                Given how the marae operates on other weekends/at other times, it would be a stretch to say what it did on polling day was with any intent.

                Reply
              • Cricklewood …
                7 June 2024 at 5:51 pm

                To be honest the Electoral commision really dropped the ball allowing the Marae to be a polling place given its leaders candiacy for TPM. It created a situation where no matter the result allegations could be thrown around and the associated murk does a whole lot of harm to everyone.

                Reply
                • weka …
                  9 June 2024 at 12:44 pm

                  I don't know the area, but I agree that it's created perception issues at the least. But again, I still don't get the timeline. Did the CEO resign so she could stand? When did the Marae get chosen to be a polling place?

                  Reply
            • Mike the Lefty 6.1.1.3.1.3
              7 June 2024 at 3:27 pm

              Serving kai to your visitors is an important part of marae protocols. So you think they shouldn't do that because part of the building was being used as a voting booth?

              Reply
            • adam 6.1.1.3.1.4
              7 June 2024 at 5:02 pm

              It is interesting how quiet the Maori Party is on all this

              FFS really, damned if you have an investigation, and damned if you don't.

              Look their is an investigation going on, a labour one. So stuck not commentating. Trolls food?

              There has been a letter of response to Andrea Vance. I’ll add a link soon, can’t find it at mo – as got as email. So lets wait and see otherwise it looks like racist dog whistle politics?

              Any help from the mods would be great appreciated. 🙂

              Reply
            • joe90 6.1.1.3.1.5
              7 June 2024 at 5:10 pm

              It is interesting how quiet the Maori Party is on all this.

              nah

              /

              Te Pāti Māori co-leaders have written to police seeking an urgent investigation into allegations made against the party relating to the 2023 election campaign.

              In a statement on Friday afternoon, the party's president John Tamihere confirmed the leaders' request was sent to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Police Commissioner Andrew Coster, and Police Minister Mark Mitchell.

              https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/518926/te-pati-maori-seeks-investigation-president-john-tamihere-retaliates-over-data-accusations

              Reply
  7. Incognito 7
    7 June 2024 at 2:49 pm

    What can we say, yet another election promise broken by National. When will it end? That’s a rhetorical question, BTW.

    https://www.politik.co.nz/national-breaks-another-health-promise/

    Good piece by Richard Harman.

    Reply
  8. Joe90 8
    7 June 2024 at 3:30 pm

    D-Plus 29,22[0]1

    @rhreid

    Thousands turn out to welcome US WW2 veterans in Sainte Mere Eglise, Normandy where the 82nd Airborne jumped on D-Day.

    https://x.com/rhreid/status/1798385150301966429

    Reply

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    TL;DR: Chris Bishop talks up the use of value capture, congestion charging, PPPs, water meters, tolling and rebating GST on building materials to councils to ramp up infrastructure investment in the absence of the Government simply borrowing more to provide the capital.Meanwhile, Christopher Luxon wants to double the number of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • You do have the power to change things
    When I was invited to come aboard and help with Greater Auckland a few months ago (thanks to Patrick!), it was suggested it might be a good idea to write some sort of autobiographical post by way of an introduction. This post isn’t quite that – although I’m sure I’lll ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago

  • Turning Away – Who Cares If We Don't?
    On the turning awayFrom the pale and downtroddenAnd the words they say which we won't understandDon't accept that, what's happeningIs just a case of other's sufferingOr you'll find that you're joining inThe turning awayToday’s guest kōrero is from Author Catherine Lea. So without further ado, over to Catherine…I’m so honoured ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Dissecting Tickled
    Hi,Tickled was one of the craziest things that ever happened to me (and I feel like a lot of crazy things have happened to me).So ahead of the Webworm popup and Tickled screening in New Zealand on July 13, I thought I’d write about how we made that film and ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago

  • New Zealand Webworm Popup + Tickled!
    Hi,I’m doing a Webworm merch popup followed by a Tickled screening in Auckland, New Zealand on July 13th — and I’d love you to come. I got the urge to do this while writing this Webworm piece breaking down how we made Tickled, and talking to all the people who ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago

  • What China wants from NZ business
    One simple statistic said it all: China Premier Li Qiang asked Fonterra CEO Miles Hurrell what percentage of the company’s overall sales were made in China. “Thirty per cent,” said Hurrell. In other words, New Zealand’s largest company is more or less dependent on the Chinese market. But Hurrell is ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • Review: The Worm Ouroboros, by E.R. Eddison (1922)
    One occasionally runs into the question of what J.R.R. Tolkien would have thought of George R.R. Martin. For years, I had a go-to online answer: we could use a stand-in. Tolkien’s thoughts on E.R. Eddison – that he appreciated the invented world, but thought the invented names were silly, and ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    4 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #24
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, June 9, 2024 thru Sat, June 15, 2024. Story of the week A glance at this week's inventory of what experts tell us is extreme weather mayhem juiced by ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Sunday Morning Chat
    After a busy week it’s a good day to relax. Clear blues skies here in Tamaki Makaurau, very peaceful but for my dogs sleeping heavily. In the absence of a full newsletter I thought I’d send out a brief update and share a couple of posts that popped up in ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • The Book of Henry
    Now in the land of Angus beef and the mighty ABsWhere the steaks were juicy and the rivers did run foulIt would often be said,This meal is terrible,andNo, for real this is legit the worst thing I've ever eatenBut this was an thing said only to others at the table,not ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Is ocean acidification from human activities enough to impact marine ecosystems?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from the Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is ocean acidification from human ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Happiness is a Warm Gun
    She's not a girl who misses muchDo do do do do do, oh yeahShe's well-acquainted with the touch of the velvet handLike a lizard on a window paneI wouldn’t associate ACT with warmth, other than a certain fabled, notoriously hot, destination where surely they’re heading and many would like them ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Still doing a good 20
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past somewhat interrupted week. Still on the move!Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • Coalition of the Unwilling?
    What does Budget 2024 tell us about the current government? Muddle on?Coalition governments are not new. About 50 percent of the time since the first MMP election, there has been a minority government, usually with allied parties holding ministerial portfolios outside cabinets. For 10 percent of the time there was ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    6 days ago

  • Of red flags and warning signs in comments on social media
    Somewhat surprisingly for what is regarded as a network of professionals, climate science misinformation is getting shared on LinkedIn, joining other channels where this is happening. Several of our recent posts published on LinkedIn have attracted the ire of various commenters who apparently are in denial about human-caused climate change. Based ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • All good, still
    1. On what subject is Paul Henry even remotely worth giving the time of day?a. The state of our nationb. The state of the ACT partyc. How to freak out potential buyers of your gin palace by baking the remains of your deceased parent into its fittings2. Now that New ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • The looting is the point
    Last time National was in power, they looted the state, privatising public assets and signing hugely wasteful public-private partnership (PPP) contracts which saw foreign consortiums provide substandard infrastructure while gouging us for profits. You only have to look at the ongoing fiasco of Transmission Gully to see how it was ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • The Illusion of Power: How Local Government Bureaucrats Overawe Democratically-Elected Councillors..
    The Democratic Façade Of Local Government: Our district and city councillors are democratically elected to govern their communities on one very strict condition – that they never, ever, under any circumstances, attempt to do so.A DISINTEGRATION OF LOYALTIES on the Wellington City Council has left Mayor Tory Whanau without a ...
    Bowalley Road
    7 days ago

  • Lowlights & Bright Spots
    I can feel the lowlights coming over meI can feel the lowlights, from the state I’m inI can see the light now even thought it’s dimA little glow on the horizonAnother week of lowlights from our government, with the odd bright spot and a glow on the horizon. The light ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago

  • Weekly Roundup 14-June-2024
    Another week, another roundup of things that caught our eye on our favourite topics of transport, housing and how to make cities a little bit greater. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Connor wrote about Kāinga Ora’s role as an urban development agency Tuesday’s guest post by ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    7 days ago

  • The Hoon around the week to June 14
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s moves this week to take farming out of the ETS and encourage more mining and oil and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago

  • Climate policy axed in broad daylight, while taxpayer liabilities grow in the dark
    In 2019, Shane Jones addressed the “50 Shades of Green” protest at Parliament: Now he is part of a government giving those farmers a pass on becoming part of the ETS, as well as threatening to lock in offshore oil exploration and mining for decades. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago

  • Rage Bait!
    Hi,Today’s newsletter is all about how easy it is to get sucked into “rage bait” online, and how easy it is to get played.But first I wanted to share something that elicited the exact opposite of rage in me — something that made me feel incredibly proud, whilst also making ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    7 days ago

  • Bernard's Dawn Chorus and pick 'n' mix for Friday, June 14
    Seymour said lower speed limits “drained the joy from life as people were forced to follow rules they knew made no sense.” File Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, June 14 were:The National/ACT/NZ First ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago

  • Friendly but frank talks with China Premier
    It sounded like the best word to describe yesterday’s talks between Chinese Premier Li Qiang and his heavyweight delegation of Ministers and officials and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and New Zealand Ministers and officials was “frank.” But it was the kind of frankness that friends can indulge in. It ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    7 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #24 2024
    Open access notables Wildfire smoke impacts lake ecosystems, Farruggia et al., Global Change Biology: We introduce the concept of the lake smoke-day, or the number of days any given lake is exposed to smoke in any given fire season, and quantify the total lake smoke-day exposure in North America from 2019 ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live
    Photo by Mathias Elle on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news with special guests:5.00 ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Geoffrey Miller: China’s message to New Zealand – don’t put it all at risk
    Don’t put it all at risk. That’s likely to be the take-home message for New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in his meetings with Li Qiang, the Chinese Premier. Li’s visit to Wellington this week is the highest-ranking visit by a Chinese official since 2017. The trip down under – ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    1 week ago

  • The Real Thing
    I know the feelingIt is the real thingThe essence of the soulThe perfect momentThat golden momentI know you feel it tooI know the feelingIt is the real thingYou can't refuse the embraceNo?Sometimes we face the things we most dislike. A phobia or fear that must be confronted so it doesn’t ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • Gordon Campbell on how moderates empower the political right
    Struth, what a week. Having made sure the rural sector won’t have to pay any time soon for its pollution, PM Christopher Luxon yesterday chose Fieldays 2024 to launch a parliamentary inquiry into rural banking services, to see how the banks have been treating farmers faced with high interest rates. ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    1 week ago

  • Bernard's Dawn Chorus and pick 'n' mix for Thursday, June 13
    In April, 17,656 people left Aotearoa-NZ to live overseas, averaging 588 a day, with just over half of those likely to have gone to Australia. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, June 13 ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Our guide to having your say on the draft RLTP 2024
    Auckland’s draft Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP) 2024 is open for feedback – and you only have until Monday 17 June to submit. Do it! Join the thousands of Aucklanders who are speaking up for wise strategic investment that will dig us out of traffic and give us easy and ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    1 week ago

  • The China puzzle
    Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrives in Wellington today for a three-day visit to the country. The visit will take place amid uncertainty about the future of the New Zealand-China relationship. Li hosted a formal welcome and then lunch for then-Prime Minister Chris Hipkins in Beijing a year ago. The pair ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 week ago

  • Fossil fuels are shredding our democracy
    This is a re-post of an article from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler published on June 3, 2024. I have an oped in the New York Times (gift link) about this. For a long time, a common refrain about the energy transition was that renewable energy needed to become ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Life at 20 kilometres an hour
    We are still in France, getting from A to B.Possibly for only another week, though; Switzerland and Germany are looming now. On we pedal, towards Budapest, at about 20 km per hour.What are are mostly doing is inhaling a country, loving its ways and its food. Rolling, talking, quietly thinking. ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • Hipkins is still useless
    The big problem with the last Labour government was that they were chickenshits who did nothing with the absolute majority we had given them. They governed as if they were scared of their own shadows, afraid of making decisions lest it upset someone - usually someone who would never have ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • Exercising with the IDF.
    This morning I did something I seldom do, I looked at the Twitter newsfeed. Normally I take the approach of something that I’m not sure is an American urban legend, or genuinely something kids do over there. The infamous bag of dog poo on the front porch, set it on ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • Helm Hammerhand Anime: First Pictures and an Old English ‘Hera’
    We have some news on the upcoming War of the Rohirrim anime. It will apparently be two and a half hours in length, with Peter Jackson as Executive Producer, and Helm’s daughter Hera will be the main character. Also, pictures: The bloke in the middle picture is Freca’s ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago

  • Farmers get free pass on climate AND get subsidies
    The cows will keep burping and farting and climate change will keep accelerating - but farmers can stop worrying about being included in the ETS. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, June 12 were:The ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Six ideas to secure Te Huia’s Future
    This is a guest post by our friend Darren Davis. It originally appeared on his excellent blog, Adventures in Transitland, which features “musings about public transport and other cool stuff in Aotearoa/ New Zealand and around the globe.” With Te Huia now having funding secure through to 2026, now is ...
    Greater AucklandBy Darren Davis
    1 week ago

  • The methane waka sinks
    In some ways, there may be less than meets the eye to the Government announcement yesterday that the He Waka Eke Noa proposal for farmers to pay for greenhouse gas emissions has been scrapped. The spectre of farmers still having to pay at some point in the future remains. That, ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 week ago

  • At a glance – Does positive feedback necessarily mean runaway warming?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Climate Change: Farmers get what they wanted – for now
    Since entering office, National has unravelled practically every climate policy, leaving us with no effective way of reducing emissions or meeting our emissions budgets beyond magical thinking around the ETS. And today they've announced another step: removing agriculture entirely. At present, following the complete failure of he waka eka noa, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • Presumed Innocent?
    The blue billionaireDistraction no interactionOr movement outside these glazed over eyesThe new great divideFew fight the tide to be glorifiedBut will he be satisfied?Can we accept this without zoom?The elephant in the roomNot much happens in politics on a Monday. Bugger all in fact. Although yesterday Christopher Luxon found he ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • Gordon Campbell on our doomed love affair with oil and gas
    What if New Zealand threw a fossil fuel party, and nobody came? On the weekend, Resources Minister Shane Jones sent out the invitations and strung up the balloons, but will anyone really want to invest big time in resuming oil and gas exploration in our corner of the planet? Yes, ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    1 week ago

  • Building better housing insights
    This is a guest post by Meredith Dale, senior urban designer and strategist at The Urban Advisory. There’s a saying that goes something like: ‘what you measure is what you value’. An RNZ article last week claimed that Auckland was ‘hurting’ because of a more affordable supply of homes, particularly townhouses ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    1 week ago

  • Putin would be proud of them
    A Prime Minister directs his public service to inquire into the actions of the opposition political party which is his harshest critic. Something from Orban's Hungary, or Putin's Russia? No, its happening right here in Aotearoa: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Public Service Commission will launch an ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • Resources for debunking common solar and wind myths
    This is a repost from a Yale Climate Connections article by SueEllen Campbell published on June 3, 2024. The articles listed can help you tell fact from fiction when it comes to solar and wind energy. Some statements you hear about solar and wind energy are just plain false. ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Juggernaut
    Politics were going on all around us yesterday, and we barely noticed, rolling along canal paths, eating baguettes. It wasn’t until my mate got to the headlines last night that we learned there had been a dismayingly strong far right result in the EU elections and Macron had called a ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • Numbers Game.
    Respect Existence, Or Expect Resistance? There may well have been 50,000 pairs of feet “Marching For Nature” down Auckland’s Queen Street on Saturday afternoon, but the figure that impresses the Coalition Government is the 1,450,000 pairs of Auckland feet that were somewhere else.IN THE ERA OF DRONES and Artificial Intelligence, ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago

  • Media Link: AVFA on post-colonial blowback.
    Selwyn Manning and I discuss varieties of post colonial blowback and the implications its has for the rise of the Global South. Counties discussed include Palestine/Israel, France/New Caledonia, England/India, apartheid/post-apartheid South Africa and post-colonial New Zealand. It is a bit … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    1 week ago

  • Policy by panic
    Back in March, Ombudsman Peter Boshier resigned when he hit the statutory retirement age of 72, leaving the country in the awkward (and legally questionable) position of having him continue as a temporay appointee. It apparently took the entire political system by surprise - as evinced by Labour's dick move ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • School attendance increases
    School attendance data released today shows an increase in the number of students regularly attending school to 61.7 per cent in term one. This compares to 59.5 per cent in term one last year and 53.6 per cent in term four. “It is encouraging to see more children getting to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago

  • Record investment in public transport services
    The Government has announced a record 41 per cent increase in indicative funding for public transport services and operations, and confirmed the rollout of the National Ticketing Solution (NTS) that will enable contactless debit and credit card payments starting this year in Auckland, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“This Government is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago

  • GDP data shows need to strengthen and grow the economy
    GDP figures for the March quarter reinforce the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.  Data released today by Stats NZ shows GDP has risen 0.2 per cent for the quarter to March.   “While today’s data is technically in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago

  • Women continue to make up over 50 per cent on public sector boards
    Women’s representation on public sector boards and committees has reached 50 per cent or above for the fourth consecutive year, with women holding 53.9 per cent of public sector board roles, Acting Minister for Women Louise Upston says. “This is a fantastic achievement, but the work is not done. To ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago

  • Government supporting Māori business success
    The Coalition Government is supporting Māori to boost development and the Māori economy through investment in projects that benefit the regions, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka say. “As the Regional Development Minister, I am focused on supporting Māori to succeed. The Provincial Growth Fund ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago

  • Better solutions for earthquake-prone buildings
    Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has announced that the review into better managing the risks of earthquake-prone buildings has commenced. “The terms of reference published today demonstrate the Government’s commitment to ensuring we get the balance right between public safety and costs to building owners,” Mr Penk says.  “The Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago

  • Prime Minister wraps up visit to Japan
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has just finished a successful three-day visit to Japan, where he strengthened political relationships and boosted business links. Mr Luxon’s visit culminated in a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio followed by a state dinner. “It was important for me to meet Prime Minister Kishida in person ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Major business deals signed on PM’s Japan trip
    Significant business deals have been closed during the visit of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to Japan this week, including in the areas of space, renewable energy and investment.  “Commercial deals like this demonstrate that we don’t just export high-quality agricultural products to Japan, but also our world-class technology, expertise, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Strategic Security speech, Tokyo
    Minasan, konnichiwa, kia ora and good afternoon everyone. Thank you for the invitation to speak to you today and thank you to our friends at the Institute for International Socio-Economic Studies and NEC for making this event possible today.  It gives me great pleasure to be here today, speaking with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • National Infrastructure Pipeline worth over $120 billion
    The National Infrastructure Pipeline, which provides a national view of current or planned infrastructure projects, from roads, to water infrastructure, to schools, and more, has climbed above $120 billion, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop says. “Our Government is investing a record amount in modern infrastructure that Kiwis can rely on as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Making it easier to build infrastructure
    The Government is modernising the Public Works Act to make it easier to build infrastructure, Minister for Land Information Chris Penk announced today. An independent panel will undertake an eight-week review of the Act and advise on common sense changes to enable large scale public works to be built faster and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • NZ enhances North Korea sanctions monitoring
    New Zealand will enhance its defence contributions to monitoring violations of sanctions against North Korea, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today.  The enhancement will see the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) increase its contributions to North Korea sanctions monitoring, operating out of Japan. “This increase reflects the importance New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Speech to Safeguard National Health and Safety Conference
    Good afternoon everyone. It’s great to be with you all today before we wrap up Day One of the annual Safeguard National Health and Safety Conference. Thank you to the organisers and sponsors of this conference, for the chance to talk to you about the upcoming health and safety consultation. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Ōtaki to north of Levin alliance agreements signed
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone for the Ōtaki to north of Levin Road of National Significance (RoNS), following the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) signing interim alliance agreements with two design and construction teams who will develop and ultimately build the new expressway.“The Government’s priority for transport ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Improvements to stopping Digital Child Exploitation
    The Department of Internal Affairs [Department] is making a significant upgrade to their Digital Child Exploitation Filtering System, which blocks access to websites known to host child sexual abuse material, says Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden.  “The Department will incorporate the up-to-date lists of websites hosting child sexual ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • New vaccine research aims to combat prevalent bovine disease
    A vaccine to prevent an infectious disease that costs New Zealand cattle farmers more than $190 million each year could radically improve the health of our cows and boost on-farm productivity, Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard says. The Ministry for Primary Industries is backing a project that aims to develop ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Making it easier to build granny flats
    The Government has today announced that it is making it easier for people to build granny flats, Acting Prime Minister Winston Peters and RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop say. “Making it easier to build granny flats will make it more affordable for families to live the way that suits them ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • High Court Judge appointed
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Auckland King’s Counsel Gregory Peter Blanchard as a High Court Judge. Justice Blanchard attended the University of Auckland from 1991 to 1995, graduating with an LLB (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts (English). He was a solicitor with the firm that is now Dentons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Health workforce numbers rise
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says new data released today shows encouraging growth in the health workforce, with a continued increase in the numbers of doctors, nurses and midwives joining Health New Zealand. “Frontline healthcare workers are the beating heart of the healthcare system. Increasing and retaining our health workforce ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Government to overhaul firearms laws
    Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee has today announced a comprehensive programme to reform New Zealand's outdated and complicated firearms laws. “The Arms Act has been in place for over 40 years. It has been amended several times – in a piecemeal, and sometimes rushed way. This has resulted in outdated ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Government delivers landmark specialist schools investment
    The coalition Government is delivering record levels of targeted investment in specialist schools so children with additional needs can thrive. As part of Budget 24, $89 million has been ringfenced to redevelop specialist facilities and increase satellite classrooms for students with high needs. This includes: $63 million in depreciation funding ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Major health and safety consultation begins
    A substantial consultation on work health and safety will begin today with a roadshow across the regions over the coming months, says Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden.  This the first step to deliver on the commitment to reforming health and safety law and regulations, set out in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Growing the potential of New Zealand’s forestry sector in partnership
    Forestry Minister Todd McClay, today announced the start of the Government’s plan to restore certainty and confidence in the forestry and wood processing sector. “This government will drive investment to unlock the industry’s economic potential for growth,” Mr McClay says. “Forestry’s success is critical to rebuilding New Zealand’s economy, boosting ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Government cancels forestry ETS annual service charges for 2023-24
    Annual service charges in the forestry Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) will be cancelled for 2023/24, Forestry Minister Todd McClay says. “The sector has told me the costs imposed on forestry owners by the previous government were excessive and unreasonable and I agree,” Mr McClay says. “They have said that there ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Speech to the LGNZ Infrastructure Symposium
    Introduction Thank you for having me here today and welcome to Wellington, the home of the Hurricanes, the next Super Rugby champions. Infrastructure – the challenge This government has inherited a series of big challenges in infrastructure. I don’t need to tell an audience as smart as this one that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Government boosts Agriculture and food trade with China
    Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay and Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard welcomed outcomes to boost agricultural and food trade between New Zealand and China. A number of documents were signed today at Government House that will improve the business environment between New Zealand and China, and help reduce barriers, including on infant formula ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ and China launch Services Trade Negotiations
    Trade Minister Todd McClay, and China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, today announced the official launch of Negotiations on Services Trade between the two countries.  “The Government is focused on opening doors for services exporters to grow the New Zealand’s economy,” Mr McClay says.  As part of the 2022 New Zealand-China Free Trade Agreement Upgrade ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Prime Minister Luxon meets with Premier Li
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang at Government House in Wellington today.  “I was pleased to welcome Premier Li to Wellington for his first official visit, which marks 10 years since New Zealand and China established a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” Mr Luxon says. “The Premier and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Government and business tackling gender pay gap
    The coalition Government is taking action to reduce the gender pay gap in New Zealand through the development of a voluntary calculation tool. “Gender pay gaps have impacted women for decades, which is why we need to continue to drive change in New Zealand,” Acting Minister for Women Louise Upston ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Funding Boost for Rural Support Trusts
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